Mechanically-operated scotch hearth.



A. 3. Moses.

MECHANICALLY OPERATED SCOTCH HEARTH- APPLICATIQN FILED MAR. 20. 1913- fimfimu Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

3 SHEET$-SHEET I.

H! W) H llll ll llllllll [IlllllllllllI 1m 6 o c A. S. MOSES.

MECHANICALLY OPERATED SCOTCH HEARTH.

APPLKCATION FILED MAR. 20. 1913.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

A. S. MOSES.

MECHANICALLY OPERATED SCOTCH HEARTH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. I913.

latentml (M. 24, 1916.

3 SHEEIS SHEET 3.

ASHJELJEIGI-I S. MOSES, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR T ST. LOUIS SMEIITING' AND REFINING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION 011" MISSOURI.

MECHANICALLY-OPERATED SCOTCH I-IEAR'IH.

LQOSAOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2d, 1916.

Application filed March 20, 1913. Serial No. 755,599.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AsHnLEIoH S. MOSES,

a citizen of the United States, and residing.

A Scotch hearth comprises a compara-.

tively deep basin of cast iron, a water back having twyers at the lower end thereof positioned just above the basin, an apron which extends forwardly from the basin, and a hood which extends over the hearth. In the operation of such a furnace the basin is filled nearly full with molten lead. The ore and fuel are then placed on top of this bed of molten lead in the basin and banked up against the water back. If a blast is supplied to the twyers the ore will be reduced to molten lead. The workman pokes or turns over the ore and fuel (which is usually coke) banked against the water back and adds the ore and fuel in small quantities. As soon as suflicient ore has been reduced so that 'the molten lead nearly fills the basin, the workman inserts a shovel into the basin and works it back and forth so as to cause the molten lead to run over onto the apron (which is provided with a gutter) and into the lead pot. The fumes pass through the hood and then to a bag house where they. are collected. The operation of such a hearth not only requires a considerable amount of manual labor, but in view of the pressure and escape of the poisonous lead fumes it is difficult to obtain and retain workmen.

One of the objects of this invention therefore is to construct afurnace of the above type the operation of which will be automatic so as to. require" for its operation comparatively few workmen.

Another object is-to construct a furnace which is provided with means for feeding, poking and leveling or banking the material on the hearth, which ineanswill be automatic in their operation.

Another object is to provide automatic means for collecting the metal from the furnace of the above type as the smelting operatlon proceeds.

Further objects will appear from the detail descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a furnace embodying this invention, the poking and leveling means being omitted, Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 Fig. 1, showing the hearth and its cooperating mechanism in plan, Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 33 Fig. 2, the feeding means being omitted, Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line Fig. 2,showi ng the feeding means, Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 Fig. 2, showing one of the pokers and its" operating means, Fig. 6 is an enlarged section' on the line 66 Fig. 2, showing one of the levelingmeans, Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 77 Fig. 2, showing an end elevation of one of the hearth sections, g'Fig. 8 1s a section on the line 88 Fig. 7, and Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail section Ehrough one of the hearths showing the over- Referring to the accompanying drawings, 10 designates a series of pillars forming the foundation for the furnace structure. Each of these pillars supports a bracket 11 having a roll 12 to support a circular track 13, which may be of I beam section. A central pillar 14 supports a flanged collar 15 through which passes a pipe 16, and a plate 17 on the pipe rests upon the collar 15. A

series of radially extending beams 18 are mounted upon and bolted at their inner ends to the plate 17 and mounted upon and bolted at their outer ends to the track 13. These beams together with the track and plate form the support and frame work for the hearth hereinafter described. A toothed ring 19 bolted to the beams 18 meshes with a bevel gear 20 on a drive shaft 21 supported at one end by a bearing bracket 22 on the pillar 14 and at its other end by a bearing bracket 23 on one of the pillars 10. The shaft 21 has a pulley 24 whereby it may be driven by a belt 25 from any suitable source of power.

The hearth comprises a series of sections bolted end to end to form together an annular structure. Referring to Figs. 3, 7, 8 and 9 each section comprises a basin having end walls 31. Each basin is further provided with an overflow spout 32. An apron 33 is attached to or cast integral with the basinand this apron has an overhanging portion 34 which is spaced from the front wall of the basin and extends below the spout as shown in Fig. 9. The water back maybe cast integral with the basin but is in this case formed as a separate part. Each water back section 29 has a wind box 35 connected with twyers 36 extending through the water back. A water supply connection is r .ade to each water back by a pipe 44 at I the lower end thereof and a discharge riser 37 extends to nearly the top of the water jacket in the water back. The water supply connection is preferably made at one end of the water back section while the discharge connection is made at the other. The basin sections are connected end to end by bolts 38 passing through and clamping the abutting ends 31, while the water backs are bolted end to end by bolts 39 extending through lugs 40 on the water. backs. The parts asthus constructed form a hearth of annular form resting on and supported by the frame work consisting of the bars 18 the track 13 and the plate 17. vThe annular basin may be secured in position with respect to the water "backs in any suitable manner as by bolts'41 passing through lugs 42 and 43 on the basin and water back sections respectively. While the hearth is preferably formed of sections, this hearth may be formed of one piece especially in small furnaces.

A reservoir 45 is mounted on a collar 46 resting on the plate 17, and this reservoir surrounds the pipe 16, a water tight connection being made between the reservoir and pipe by means of a gasket 47. The water is supplied to the reservoir by-means of a stationary supply pipe 48. Branch pipes 49 lead from the bottom of the reservior to the connections 44 so as to supply water by gravity pressure to the water backs. The

base of the reservoir 45 is made hollow to form a wind box, 50 having a series of radiating blast connections 51to the wind boxes 35 of ,fflthe different water back sections.

f" enters the wind box g50through slots 52 in .5; {tight connection. between the p1pe.,.and the The air thepipe-16, and the gaske't 53 makes an air "wind box. The-reservoir as well as'the wind box. 56 is thus permittedto rotate with the hearth and its supporting frame work on the o A, [j A o 1155 of annular form extends over the pipe 16' lhearthi andthis hood is supported by bracklets 56-from the pillars 10 and by means of b1aces'f57 radiating'fromacap 581 on the upper end of-thep1pe}-16. The braces 57 are preferably provided with turn buckles 58 so that the hood (which is stationary) may be centered with respect to the rotating hearth. The hood is provided with a series of outlets 59 discharging into a circular header 60 which has a house.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, and 4, and 66 designate the shakers of ore and fuel feed devices, and since these devices are of substantially the same construction only one need be described in detail. The lower end of the shaker is supported by a stirrup 67 pivoted to brackets 68 from the hood 55 while the other end has lugs 69 connected to a crank 70 on a shaft 71. This shaft has a pulley 72 driven by a belt 73. By means of this construction the shakers of the feed devices are shaken back and forth ,to feed material on the hearth. The material can be supplied to the shakers in any suitable manner.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 5, 75 designates a poker removably supported and clamped in the end of a bar 76. This bar is pivotally supported between its ends on a link 77 connected to a crank 18 on a shaft 79. The rear end of the bar 76 is pivoted to a lever 80 pivoted at 81 on a bracket 82 and having a slot 83 engaged by the crank pin of a crank 84 on a shaft 85. The shafts 79 and pipe connection 61 with a bag 85 are mounted in hearings on the bracket source of power. The gears 86, 87 and 88 are of the same diameter and as the shaft 89 is driven in the direction of the arrow Fig. 5 the poker will move in the direction and along the path indicated in dotted lines on Fig. 5. This motion is 1 four-motion movement. The poker is first moved down in a curved path into and through the ore and fuel on the hearth, then up to rake up and turn the material and is then moved back clear of the material to the starting point. This movement takes place while the hearth is rotating.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 6, 95 desigliates a shovel or leveler removablv mounted and clamped on the bar 96. This bar is pivoted at its rear and upper end to a crank 97 mounted on a shaft 98 and is provided intermediate its ends with a slot 99 in which works the crank pin of a crank 100 on a shaft 101. The shafts 98 and 101 are mounted in hearings on a bracket 102 and these shafts have mounted thereon gears 103 and 104 of the same diameter while the shaft 98 is provided with a pulley 105 driven by a belt 106. As the pulley rotates in the direction of the arrow the leveler will be moved in the direction and along the path shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. This leveler will neon roe and inclined path and will be returned in a path back of its path when traveling forward so as to clear the material. During the forward movement of the shovel the material on the hearth will be banked and lev eled ofl' against the water back in the same manner as is done by the workman when operating these furnaces by hand.

In practice a series of pokers and levelers are arranged around'the furnace as shown in Fig. :2, the levelers alternating with the pokers. While only a pair of ore and fuel feeds are shown, in large furnaces the feeds ma be duplicated on the opposite sides of the furnaces in which case another series of pokers and levelers will be placed on the opposite side of the furnace, as shown in dotted construction lines Fig. 2.

The pipes 37 discharge into an annular trough 110 supported by brackets 111 from the pillars 10 and this trough has one or more outlets 112. The overflows dis charge into a trough 113 placed below the apron 33 and supported by brackets 11% from the pillars 10. This trough 113 in turn discharges into a. pot 115. The air is supplied to the pipe 16 by a suitable fan.

The operation of this furnace is as follow"; The basins are nearly filled with molten lead as in the operation of the ordinary Scotch hearth. The hearth is then rotated in the direction of the arrow Fig. 2 while the blast and water are turned on. During the rotation of the, hearth the ore andfuel will be fed on the hearth by the shaker feeds. This ore and fuelwill be raked and turned over by the pokers and leveled and banked against the water backs by the levelers 95. The blast will reduce the ore to the metallic state and as the molten lead fills the basin, it will overflow into the trough 113 and from the trough into the pot 115. The slag andmetal will be prevented from overflowing into the trough 113 as they will be stopped by the members 34: which form seals between the metal and the spouts The movements given the pokers and'the levelers are substantially the same as those given by the operator in poking and banking up the fuel and ore against the water backs in the ordinary Scotch hearth. The speed of the movement of the rotary hearth, the pokersand the levelers will vary with conditions. In practice the hearth is moved very slowly, while the poker-s are given several movements during the passage of each hearth section thereunder. The speed is however so adjusted that is, the pokers,levelers,feeders and the hearth are so driven in cooperative re lation that the best results are obtained, and so that the pokers will not strike against the partitions 31 between the basin sections 30. This is readily accomplished by driving the parts by a single prime mover. The furnace is entirely automatic in its operatron so that it will require little attendance while the attendant is not subjected directly to the poisonous fumes of the lead as is the case in the old type where the man had to stand directly in front of the hearth.

It will thus be seen that the smelting furnace, generally stated, comprises an elon-. gated Scotch hearth which is supported for movement with respect to an operating point, or more specifically, several operating points, namely, the points where the smelting materials are fed to the hearth, and where the hearth is subjected to the poking and leveling operations. The hearth is moved during its smelting operation, and during this movement all the operations in the Scotch hearth practice arev performed on the smelting materials.

a It is obvious that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of this invention and it is therefore to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to its specific construction and operation shown and described.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is: i

l. A smelting furnace comprising an elongated Sc'otch hearth, means for supporting said hearth for movement with respect to an operating point, and means for moving said heart-h during its operation with respect to the operating point.

2. A smelting furnace comprisingflin elongated Scotch hearth, having twyers, means for supporting said hearth for movement with respect to an operating point, means for moving said hearth during its operation with respect to the operating point, and means for supplying the blast to the twvers during the movement of the hearth.

3. A smelting furnace comprising an elongated Scotch hearth, having a back, means for supporting said hearth for movement with respect to an operating point, means for moving said hearth during its operation with respect -'to the operating point, and means for supplying a cooling medium to the back during the movement of the hearth.

4. A smelting furnace comprising an elongated Scotch hearth. having a basin. means for supporting said hearth for movement with respect to an operating point, means for moving said hearth during its operation with respect to the operating point, and means for receiving the metal from the basin during the movement of the hearth.

5. A smelting furnace comprising an elongated Scotch hearth, means for supporting said hearth for movement with respect to an operating point, means for moving said hearth during its operation with respect to the operating point, and a hood over said hearth adapted to receive the fumes therefrom during its movement.

(3. A smelting furnace comprising an elongated Scotch hearth, means for supporting said hearth for movement with respect to an operating point, means for moving said hearth during its operation with respect to the operating point, and means for supplying the smelting material to the hearth during its movement.

7. A smelting furnace comprising an elongated Scotch hearth, means for supporting said hearth for movement with respect to an operating point, means for moving said hearth during its operation with respect to the ope 'ating point, and poking means cooperating with the hearth during its movement.

8. A smelting furnace comprising an elongated Scotch hearth, means for supporting said hearth for movement with respect to an operating point, means for moving said hearth during its operation with respect to the operating point. and leveling means cooperating with the hearth during its movement.

9. A smelting furnace comprising an elongated Scotch hearth, means for supporting said hearth for move1nent.witl1 respect to an operating point, means for moving said hearth during its operation with respect to the. operating point, and means for supplying the blast and thecooling medium to the, hearth during its movement.

10. A smelting furnace comprising an elongated Scotch hearth, means for supporting said hearth for movement with respect to an operating point, means for moving said hearth during its operation with respect to the operating point, and meansfor supplying the blast and the cooling medium to. the hearth and for receiving the metal therefrom during its movement.

11. A smelting furnace comprising an elongated Scotch hearth, means for supporting said hearth for movement with respect to an operating point, means for moving saidhearth during its operation with re spect to the operating point, and means for supplying the blast, cooling medium and smelting material to the hearth during its movement.

12. A smelting furnace comprising an elongated Scotch hearth, means for supporting said hearth for movement with respect to an operating point, means for moving said hearth during its operation with respect to the operating point, means for supplying the blast, cooling medium and smelting material to the hearth during its movement, and poking and leveling means cooperating with the hearth during its move ment 13. smelting furnace comprising an elongated Scotch hearth, means for supporting said hearth for movement with respect to an operating point, means for moving said hearth during its operation with respect to the operating point, and means for supplying the blast, cooling medium and smelting material to the hearth and for receiving the metal therefrom during its movement.

, 14. A smelting furnace comprising an elongated Scotch hearth, means for supporting said hearth for movement with respect to an operating point, means for moving said hearth during its operation with respect to the operating point, means for supplying the blast, cooling medium and smelting material to the hearth and for receiving the metal therefrom during its movement,

and poking and leveling means cooperating with the hearth during its movement.

15. A smelting furnace comprising an elongated Scotch hearth, means for supporting said hearth for movement with respect to an operating point, means for moving said hearth during its operation with .respect to the operating point, and means for operating on the hearth during its movement.

16. In a smelting furnace, a movable hearth having twyers, and a poker cooperating with said hearth.

17. In a. smelting furnace, a. movable hearth having twyers. and leveling means coolierating with said hearth.

18. In a smelting furnace, a movable hearth having twyers, means for supplying ore and fuel to said hearth, and poking and leveling means cooperating with said hearth.

19. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form having twyers, and means for autoimitically supplying the material to said hearth as it rotates. 20. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form having twyers, and fuel and ore supplying devices adapted to deliver the ore and fuel on said hearth as it rotates.

In a smelting furnace, a rotary smelting hearth of annular form. a poker cooperating with said hearth as it rotates, and means for operating said poker to intermittently engage the material on the hearth.

In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form. and leveling means coo 'ierating with said hearth as it rotates.

23. In a smelting furnace, a rotaryhearth of annular form, leveling means cooperating with said hearth, and means for operating said leveling means.

21. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form. leveling means constructed to engage and level the material on the hearth, and means for operating said level ing means.

25. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth aoaaoa of annular form, and leveling means constructed to automaticallyengage and level the material on the hearth.

26. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form, leveling means cooperating with said hearth, and means for op erating said leveling means to intermittently engage the material on the hearth.

27. In a smeltin furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form, eveling means cooperating with said hearth, and power driven means for rotating said hearth and for operating said leveling means.

28/ In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form, leveling means cooperating with said hearth, and means forr0- tating said hearth and for operating said leveling means in cooperative relation.

29. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form, and a poker and leveling means cooperating with said hearth.

30. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form, and a poker and leveling. means constructed and arranged to co-- operate successively with the material on said hearth.

31. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form, and poking and levelin means positioned around said hearth an adapted to successively cooperate with the material thereon.

In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form, and a plurality of pokers and a plurality of levelers arranged, around said hearth and adapted to cooperate with the material thereon.

-33. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form, and a plurality of pokers and'a plurality of levelers arranged around said hearth, the levelers alternating Withsaid pokers, said pokers and levelers being adapted to cooperate in succession with the material on the hearth.

84. In a smelting furnace,a rotary hearth of annular form, a poker and a leveler arranged around said hearth and constructed to successively engage the material thereon, and operating means for said hearth, said poker and said leveler.

35. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form, a device for feedin material on said hearth, a device for poking the material on said hearth, and a device for leveling the material on. said hearth.

36. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form, and devices arranged in succession around said hearth adapted to feed, poke and level the material thereon.

37. In a smeltingfurnace having a. hearth, poking mechanism comprising a poker. and means operating said poker constructed to cause said poker to enter the material on the hearth, rise and then retract.

38. In a smelting furnace having a hearth, poking mechanism comprising a poker, and means for imparting a fourmotion movement to said'poker.

39. In a smelting furnace having a hearth, poking mechanism comprising a poker, a plurality of links supporting said poker, and means for operating said links.

40. In a smelting furnace having a hearth, a leveler coiiperating with said hearth, and means for operating said leveler.

41. In a smelting furnace hearth, a leveler cooperating with said hearth, and means for moving said leveler toward and from the hearth.

42. In a smelting furnace having a hearth, a leveler cooperating with said hearth, and means for imparting a compound movement to said leveler.

43. In a smelting furnace having a hearth, a leveler cooperating with said hearth, and means for moving said leveler in an inclined path with respect to said hearth.

44. In a smelting furnace a rotary hearth of annular form, having a back and twyers, and an annular trough receiving the molten metal from said hearth.

45. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form having a sectional basin provided with overflows, and having a back and twyers, and an annular trough receiving the molten metal from said basin.

46. In. a smelting furnace, a hearth having a basin, a back and twyers, an overflow for said basin, and a slag seal between said basin and overflow.

47. In a smelting furnace, a hearth having a basin, an apron, a back and tWyers, and an overflow for said basin independent of said apron.

48. In a smelting furnace, a hearth having a basin, an apron, a back and twyers, an overflow for said basin, and means forming a seal between said basin and said overflow.

49. In a smelting furnace, a hearth having a basin, an apron, a back and twyers, and an overflow for said basin positioned below said apron.

50. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form having an apron, overflows for said hearth positioned below said apron, and an annular trough receiving the molten metal from said overflows.

51. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form having a Water back, and a central water reservoir connected with said Water back.

52'. In a smelting furnace, a rotary hearth of annular form having a water back, a central water reservoir connected with said water back, and an annular trough receiving the water discharged from said water back.

53. In a smelting furnace, a rotary having a hearth of annular form having a Water back, a central Water reservoir connected with said Water back, said Water back having twyers, and a central air pipe connected with said twyers.

.54. A smelling furnace comprising a Scotch hearth extending in annular form,

' means for supporting said hearth for rotation, and means for rotating said hearth.

55. A smelting furnace comprising a plurality of Scotch hearths arranged side by side, poking and leveling mechanisms cooperating with said hearths, and means for relatively moving said hearths and said mechanisms.

56. A smelting furnace comprising a hearth, a poker, means for moving the poker into the material on the hearth, and means for moving the hearth relatively to the poker.

57. A smelting furnace comprising a hearth, a poker, means for imparting a poking movement to said poker, and means for imparting a feeding movement of said hearth with respect to said poker.

58. A smelting furnace comprising a hearth, a leveler, means for moving said leveler over the material on said hearth, and means for moving the hearth and leveler relatively.

59. A smelting furnace comprising a hearth, a leveler, means for imparting a leveling movement to said leveler, and means for imparting a feeding movement of said hearth with respect to said leveler.

60. A smelting furnace comprising a hearth, a poker, a leveler, means for moving said poker into and said leveler over the inaterial on said hearth, and means for moving said hearth and said poker and leveler relatively.

61. A smelting furnace comprising a hearth, a poker, a leveler, means for imparting poking and leveling movements respectively to said poker and leveler, and a means for imparting a feeding movement of said hearth with respect to said poker and said leveler.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ASHELEIGH S. MOSES. Witnesses:

J. L. BARRON, C. M. SHIRLEY. 

